Pawn Shop Perceptions

So they tell me living in another country will change the way you look at the world. They, whoever they are, are right. I have now been living in Mexico for almost three weeks (I can now eat street tacos without fear) and my eyes have been opened to many things. I will share just a few.

Many people in the U.S. think that living in Mexico is dirt cheap. This couldn't be farther from the truth, especially in big cities. Monterrey is more expensive in many respects than Kentucky. This has been painfully obvious to me as I try to furnish my unfurnished apartment. I have finally realized that saying "I could buy this for such-and-such amount in the U.S." is not going to do me any good. Electronics and technology is where it really hits you. I have been looking for a TV so I can host a Super Bowl party next Sunday, and it has not been easy. I have been everywhere from the high end FAMSA to the government-run pawn shop to the "get 'em while their hot" street vendors to the Wal-Mart. I think I am going to end up purchasing one at Sam's Club, which is going to be about one and a half times as expensive as at home.

Another place that really surprised me was the video store. You can buy Napoleon Dynamite for 398 pesos (almost $40) or get some old movie like Rocky III for a little less than $20 (not that I don't think it's worth it). On the street, however, I today saw a Narnia DVD (legal copies are not out yet) for less than $4. I am wondering how they got the official DVD cover and everything. Anyway, you can eat street tacos for $2 and get a big 5-gallon jug of water for $1.70, but my contact solution cost almost $12 at the pharmacy. Some things are just really expensive. Now, this is not the case in rural areas and small towns, but the big cities can be every bit as expensive as the U.S., if not more so. I would hate to need to buy a laptop down here. The price of things could be a big reason why the government charges such high fees to bring items into the country. Many Mexicans have told me they will go to the border to buy used cars from Texas because it is just too expensive down here.

A Mexican friend asked me last night what I thought about the border issue between the U.S. and Mexico. While I am here to tell people about Jesus, and try to stay as far away from politics as possible, I felt safe enough with him to answer this question. I believe that every country on earth needs to control it's borders, especially a country like the U.S. However, I don't blame the millions of Mexican people who desire to get to American (legally or illegally) to try to make a better life for themselves and their families. America truly is a land of opportunity, and I think it takes getting away from that to realize that we often take it for granted.

Anyway, I have always respected Mexican people, and that respect has only grown as I have begun to meet more people here and see how they live. Life here is not easy or "simple," as some people might like to call it. The people here who have prospered have typically worked very hard to do so, and those who haven't typically work very hard just to provide. Mexican people seem to have a good grasp on the phrase "one day at a time" and many even seem to be taking things one minute at a time. I think the longer I am here, the more I will begin to adopt this wise philosophy.

I hope that Americans reading this would take the time to think about all they have to be thankful for, like hot showers. I hope Mexicans reading this would see that I have nothing but love for you and your country, but sometimes need to write about the differences so I can understand them a little better. Well, now that I have found the TV, it's time for a microwave. Dios les bendiga!